Tubular case and in particular lipstick case



Qct. 24, 1950 P. KULLMAN'N TUBULAR CASE AND IN PARTICULAR LIPSTICK CASE Filed June 8, 1949 INVENTUR f Zwe Kuzzmm BY W Wit/M ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 24, 1950 UNITED TUBULAR CASEcAND IN PARTICULAR LIPSTICK CASE Pierre Kullmann, Paris, France Application June 8, 1949, Serial No. 97,738 V.

In France June 25, 1948 4 Claims. (Cl. 2(l656) The present invention relates to tubular cases and more especially lipstick or other cosmetic cases having a lid intended to be automatically operated, for opening or closing thereof, in'response to rotational displacements of an element mounted inside the case, and in particular of the tube whichserves to operate the outward and in- 'ward movements of the cosmetic (lipstick) with respect to said case. 7

The object of my invention is to provide a tubular case of this kind which is better adapted to meet the requirements of practice than those existing up to now and in particular which ensures a simple and reliable operation of the lid.

For this purpose, according to my invention, the lid, pivoted to the cylindrical body of the case about a line parallel to the axis thereof, is given at least its opening or its closing movement through the action of cooperating means provided on said lid and said body, and including a cam carried by'one of the two last mentioned elements, adapted to rotate said lid, in response to an annular displacement of themner tube in said body.

a Preferred embodiments of my invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, given merely by way of example and in which:

, Fig. 1 is a perspective view, with parts cut away, of a lipstick case made according to a I first embodiment of my invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are plan views of the lipstick case of Fig. 1, corresponding to two different positions of the lid; 1

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of two elements of a lipstick case made accordin to another embodiment of my invention;

Fig, 5 is a sectional detail view in a radial plane of the two elements shown by Fig. 4 illustrating an intermediate step of, the assembly of these elements;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal part section of the structure of Fig. 4.

The lipstick case shown by the drawings includes a cylindrical body I, a coaxial tube 2 fixed with respect to this body on the inside thereof and provided with a helical groove 3, a tube 4 coaxial with tube 2 on the inside thereof, this tube 4 being provided with a longitudinal groove ,5 extending along a generatrix of said tube 4,

a base 6 rigid with tube 4' and rotatable with *respect to body I, and finally a tube 1 coaxial with tube 4 on the inside thereof and provided with a lug 9 engaged in both of the grooves 3 and 5, this tube 1 carrying the lipstick 8.

It will be readily understood that rotation of which it slides tangentially.

2 A base 6 with respect to body I causes tube 1 and the lipstick fitted therein to move with a helical movement in body 1, whereby the lipstick can be moved out from said bod or retracted thereinto.

The lid I I of the case is freely pivoted to body I, through a pivot pin l0 parallel to the axis of said body. Advantageously, as shown by the drawing, the top portion of body I is shaped to form a kind of annular housing l2, open at 13 and in which said lid II is housed when in the closed position, the inward flange M of this top portion I2 thus protecting said lid.

In order automatically to open and close lid II, when the lipstick is moved out and retracted, respectively, I provide said lid H and tube 4 .(which has a mere movement of rotation inside .body I) with cooperating cam and cam actuating' means adapted to produce at least one of the opening and closing rotation movementsof the lid inresponse to a predetermined rotation of tube 4 in the suitable direction.

For instance, as illustrated by the drawing, lid H is shaped'to have a cam l5 carried by'its under surface. On the other hand the top end of tube 4 is. notched at 16 so as to have two longi- 'tudinal edges l1 and 20 at least one of which,

for instance I1, is to constitute the cam actuating means intended to cooperate with cam 15.

Cam i5 is so shaped, and edge I! so located that, at the beginning of the rotary movement of tube 4 which is to produce the outward dis placement of 1ipstick'8, said edge ll is in contact with the end of cam 15 and On the outer side of this cam, as shown by Fig. 3. It will be readily understood that rotation of tube 4 in an anti-clockwise direction will cause lid l I to pivot about pin [0 to come into the position shown by Fig. 2, and this for a relatively small angle of rotation of tube 4. From this position on, as it results from Fig. 2, tube 4 can be further rotated in the anti-clockwise direction without exerting any kinematic action 'on cam l5 along It will be easy to devise the various elements so that the rotation of tube 4 from the posi" ,tion of Fig. 3 to that of Fig. 2 does not correspond to an upward displacement of. tube 1 bringing lipstick 8 into contact with lid H. For instance, as shown by the drawing, helical groove 3 ends, at the bottom, in ahorizontal portion 18 such that, at the beginning of the rotation of tube 4, the lug 9 of tube 1 moves horizontally in this groove portion I8 and no upward movement is imparted to said tube Preferably, in order to hold the lipstick refillie ently in the retracted position, the top edge of groove portion I8 is provided with a small projection 22 beyond which lug 9 has to be forced elastically to move it in one direction or the other. Thus, in the closed position, lug 9 is resiliently held by this projection 22 against the end of groove portion I8.

Closing of lid II may be obtained in either of two ways. According to one of these, the edge of the notch I6 provided at the top end;

of tube 4 might be made to cooperate with the inner side of cam I5, so that clockwise rotation of tube 4 would close lid II by cooperation of said side of cam I5 with edge 20.

According to the preferred embodiment, .as shown by the drawing, a spring 2I constantly urges lid I I toward the closed position. Thus, as soon as tube 4, in the course of its clockwiserotation, passes through the position shown by Fig. 2, the outer side of cam I5 is kept applied against the'edge H of this tube-and at the .end of this clockwise rotation the parts have been returned into the position-of Fig. 3.

Spring 2I may for instance be constituted-by anelastic metal wire wound about pin-I0 and one of the ends ofwhich is engaged in a housing provided in lid II whereas the other end is applied against a projection of flange I4.

It results from the above description that-it is necessary accurately to secure tube 2 with respect to body I. This can be advantageously obtained by means of either-of two arrangements illustrated by the drawings.

In the embodiment of Fig. 1, body I, whichis of a substantial thickness, is .provided, in its inner wall, with an annular groove 23 and with a short longitudinal groove 24. Tube 2 has, formed on the outersurface thereof, two projections 25 and I9, adapted to fit in said grooves, respectively. When elements I and 2 are assembled together, projection I9 is made to slide in rectilinear longitudinal groove 24. Inner tube 2-is just enough elastically deformable'to enable-projection 25 to slide along the inner wall of easing I and finally to drop into groove 23. .Tube 4is thensecurely held with respect to body I against axial displacement by the engagement of projections 25 in groove 23 and againstrotary. displacement by the engagement of projection I9 in groove 24, this last mentioned groove being suitably located to ensure proper cooperation .of.the edge I! of tube 4 with cam I5.

In the embodimentof Figs. 4. to' 6, body I is made of a thinmetal sheet. In order -to secure tube: 2 in the desired position in said body, a notch 26 iscut off inthe lower edge. of tube 2 andthe lower edge of body I has a small portion 21 thereof of a width equal to that of said notch, folded inwardly substantially at right angles. When tube 2 is slipped in body'I, slight .elastic deformations of the parts: enablethe bent. portion 21 of body I to slide along the outer wall of tube 2. When the parts come into the-desired relative position, this bent portion 21 engages into notch 26 and tube 2-is held in this positionwith respect to body I.

In a general manner, while I have,. in the above description, disclosed what]? deemtobe practical and efiicient embodiments of my invention, it should be well understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and forms of the parts without departing froni the principle of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. A tubular case which comprises, in combination, an outercylindrical body, a coaxial inner tube rotatable in said body, external means for rotating said tube with respect to said body, a lid transverse to said body pivoted thereto about aline parallel to the axis thereof, and a cam .carried by the under face of said lid, said inner tube being provided at its upper part with a notch one side edge of which is adapted to cooperate with said cam for rotating said lid in one direction in response to rotation of said inner tube in said bod in one direction.

2. A tubular case which comprises, in combination, an outer cylindrical body, a coaxial inner tube rotatable in said body, external means-for rotating said tube with respect to said body a lid transverse to said body pivoted thereto about aline parallelto the axis thereof, a cam carried by .the under .face of said lid, said inner tube being provided at its upper part with a notch one longitudinal edge of which is adapted to cooperate-with said cam for opening said lid in response to rotation of saidinner. tube in said bod in one direction, and spring means for urging. said lid toward closed position.

3. A cosmetic case which comprises, in combination, an outer cylindricalbody, a coaxial innertube in said body provided with a helical groove, means for securing said tube in said body against both axial and rotary displacements therein, a second coaxial tube inside said first mentioned.tube,.said second tube being provided with alongitudinal groove, external means for rotatingsaidsecond tube with respect to said body, a .third tube for carrying said cosmetic, mounted-coaxially insaid second tube, a lug carried by said ,thirdtube engaged in both said helical and said longitudinal grooves, a lid transverse tosaidbody pivoted thereto about a line parallel ,to the axis thereof and cooperating means onsaid lid and said second mentioned tube, including a cam carried by one of said two last mentioned elements, for rotating said ,lid with respect ,to said body inat least one direction in response to rotation of said second mentioned tube. insaid body in one direction.

. 4. Acosmetic case according to claim 3 in which said body is provided, in its inner wall, with an annular. groove located in a plane at right angles to the. axis of said body andwith a longitudinal groove located in a radial plane of said body, the means for securing the first mentioned tube with respect ,to said body including two projectionscarried bythe outer surface of saidfirst mentioned tube and adapted to fit in said grooves respectively.

PIERRE KULLMANN.

.REFERENCES CITED l he following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED .STATES PATENTS 

